Through The Storm
by SpencerSwift8629
Summary: It's a rainy night in Rosewood, and Spencer Hastings can't sleep. A Spoby fanfic written by a devoted Spoby shipper. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_Time Period - Between 2x03 My Name is Trouble and 2x04 Blind Dates _

_Ian has not yet been discovered - his whereabouts and whether he is alive or not is still unknown._

_Spoby Status at this time: Still in a relationship __J_

_Hope you enjoy! _

Spencer Hastings rolled from her back to her side yet again as thunder shook her bed frame. _"One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi," _she chanted in her mind before the lightning struck, illuminating her room with ominous shadows that vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

It was a rainy Friday night in Rosewood, Pennsylvania and Spencer could not fall asleep, no matter how hard she tried. And although the storm was loud and seemingly never-ending, it certainly was not the cause of her insomnia.

Spencer bit her lip hard as the thunder crashed again and the unwanted memories of that night scraped their way across her mind… _"If you love my sister you won't do this!" she shrieked as his hands gripped her coat roughly. "I'm doing it, BECAUSE. I love her," he growled as he shoved her even closer to the shaft of the bell tower, which looked like a bottomless black tomb begging her to fall into it. _

A single, terror-filled sob echoed off the walls of Spencer's spotless dark room as she snapped out of her reverie, and she immediately felt ashamed and stupid for letting herself cry. But the weight of the fear that coursed through her when she thought of what had almost happened that night,-coupled with the fact that Ian Thomas' dead body was nowhere-was too much for even a Hastings to bear. She wrapped her arms around her bent knees and tried desperately to forget every detail about Alison's murder that she wished she didn't know.

The rain was pounding hard on the roof, showing no sign of slowing down. Spencer usually liked the rain - the smell and the freshness could calm her, in a way - but not tonight. Tonight she was frustrated and scared and completely alone in her Victorian house. Her older sister Melissa, who despised her and refused to even _look_ at her these days was staying in Philly for the weekend, and her parents had gone to New York on business. Spencer glanced at the clock and sighed - 1:37am.

She lay there listening to the sounds of her sleepless night for another 15 minutes before she decided she couldn't take it any more. With a distinct feeling of defeat and cowardice, Spencer pulled one arm out from under her down comforter and grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand.

She pressed 3 and held it for a few seconds before she heard the speed dial kick in. It rang 5 or 6 times before she answered.

"Hello?" Emily yawned.

Spencer immediately felt even more guilty. "Hey Em, its me," she whispered.

"Spencer?" Emily asked sleepily, clearly still disoriented from having been awakened, "What's wrong? Did you get a text from A?"

"Well… not exactly… I can't sleep, Em." Spencer admitted, feeling dreadfully stupid.

"Why not?" she asked in her motherly voice, "Because of the storm?"

Spencer sighed. "Sort of… it's just… to be honest, Em, this whole Ian thing has freaked me out. I mean he tried to KILL me and now he's GONE and I KNOW we saw him dead but what if? What if he's still out there, plotting ways to finish me off? When A is involved, nothing makes SENSE," she huffed, "But is that stupid, Em? Am I a coward? Because-"

"SPENCER!" Emily interrupted, "Can you please breath for two seconds?"

Spencer took a deep breath.

"Thank you," she said, "Spencer. Of course you aren't stupid. You're alone during a thunderstorm while a killer is possibly on the loose. After what happened that night, you have every right to be scared shitless," Emily said firmly.

Although this helped in assuring Spencer that she wasn't crazy, it did nothing to help the small knot of fear that was still coiled in her chest. "Could you come over here, Em?" she asked feebly.

Emily sighed. "You're kidding, right? It's the middle of the night, its raining, and we're not even supposed to talk to each other. Sure, my mom will even drive me there herself," she said sarcastically, but then, sensing Spencer's dismay by her response of silence added softly, "You could try Aria, or Hanna."

Spencer rolled her eyes. "I'm actually acting as BOTH of their alibis right now," she said, annoyance clear in her tone. "Aria's with Mr. Fitz, and Hanna and Caleb are … camping again."

"Hmm," Emily mused thoughtfully. "Am I sensing a theme here? So Aria's with her boyfriend, Hanna is with _her_ boyfriend … last time I checked, _you_ had one of those things."

Spencer couldn't control the smile that spread across her face. She was momentarily wonderstruck while her thoughts drifted to her rock, her sanctuary, her safe place to land. He was beautiful in every way possible, with his piercing blue eyes, full lips and dimpled chin. He was honest, and kind, protective, and loving. The way he made her feel was impossible to describe and even more impossible to duplicate. Yes, Toby Cavanaugh was her everything.

"Spencer? Hello?"

Emily's voice brought Spencer back to the present. "Em, it's the middle of the night! It wouldn't be fair to wake him up just because his girlfriend can't sleep," she reasoned.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh, but its _perfectly_ fine to do that exact thing to me," she said sarcastically.

"I, well, its different," Spencer said defensively. "I don't want him to think I'm a baby."

"Spencer," Emily said, making her tone firmer, "First of all, you ARE NOT a baby. Second of all, I am going to ask you a very personal question. You don't have to answer it but I'm going to ask you anyway."

"Umm, okay," Spencer said with a hint of nervousness.

"Did he tell you that he loves you?" Emily whispered.

Warmth spread through Spencer's chest, momentarily stifling the fear. She smiled to herself as she recalled every detail of yesterday's romantic moment - the truck, Toby's flawless face, the way his eyes bore into her soul when he said it, the way her heart stopped beating when he held her as they'd kissed, afterward…

"Yes," Spencer said to Emily, "Yesterday, when I brought him the truck."

"Did you say it back?"

Spencer smiled again. "Of course."

"Then it's settled. If he loves you, then its his duty to take care of you. Call him." Emily ordered.

"But Emily…what if…"

"Fine. Text him."

"but what if he-"

"Goodnight Spence." _click. _

It was silent again, except of course for the rain and the thunder. All traces of the security that Emily's voice had provided faded, and the knot of terror in Spencer's chest returned and twisted uncomfortably.

"_My mom knows I'm here, she KNOWS I'm in the church!" "It'll be the perfect place for your suicide," he growled as he threw both arms around her, making it impossible to get away…_

Whether Emily was right or not about it being Toby's duty to take care of her, Spencer didn't know. But what she did know was that the idea of hearing him whisper soothing reassurances in her ear was too hard to resist. She looked down at her cell phone, opened the menu and selected _Compose New Text ._

She addressed it to him, and wrote only two words: _U up? _

A wave of embarrassment washed over her as she pressed send. Outside the wind was picking up, and she could see the tree outside through her window shaking wildly.

Another cycle of thunder and lightning lit up the sky, and Spencer was about to give up on the text message. But just as she leaned towards the table to set her phone down, it beeped and the screen glowed. She yanked it up to her face and hurriedly opened her one new text. Her heart thumped unevenly as she read the words that appeared on the screen:

_I'll always be up for the girl I love. - T_

**TO BE CONTINUED :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you SO much for all the positive feedback guys! I'm so glad you liked Chapter 1! So sorry it took me this long to update…school and such has been getting in the way a lot : ) hope you enjoy! _

The warmth that spread through Spencer's heart as she read Toby's text over again was undeniable. Her heart began to pound to the speed at which the raindrops were hitting the roof; for a moment, the storm didn't seem so ferocious anymore.

Still smiling to herself, she hit reply. _"I love you, so, so, so much." _she typed. Her fingers were trembling slightly, from both fear and joy at the same time. Outside, the storm raged on.

Not even a moment had passed before Spencer's phone beeped again. Her heart swelled even larger as she read:

" _love you more. :)__ But Spence, what's the matter? Why aren't you sleeping?_

Spencer stopped for a moment before she replied. Should she tell him? Obviously he cared. Toby was the one person she _knew _cared about her. He was always there…especially when no one else in her family was. _"If he loves you, then its his duty to take care of you," _Emily's words replayed themselves. Spencer took a breath and swiftly wrote, _"I…I can't sleep. I'm scared, Toby."_

Another remorseful wave of embarrassment washed over her. She knew she was being completely irrational, and childish. What a coward she was…

This time as the lighting lit up her room, so did her phone screen. _"Aww, Sweetheart…I'm calling you." _Spencer barely had enough time to read and comprehend what Toby had written before the silence that surrounded her was broken by the sound of his ring tone, blaring through the speaker of her cell phone.

Spencer had pressed the Talk button before the phone had gotten the chance to ring a second time. "Hello?" she whispered quickly, impatient to hear the soothing tone of his precious voice.

"Spencer? It's me, sweetheart," Toby said in his impeccable, flawless voice.

And all of a sudden, Spencer just could not gain control over herself. At the sound of his voice, her own breath caught in her throat and she began to cry into the phone, internally cursing herself.

"Spencer?" Toby pressed, his voice thick with concern. He listened to her quiet sobs for a moment, and after realizing they weren't going to cease, said softly, "Shh, Spencer. It's okay, Sweetheart. It's okay, it's okay, shh, shh. Aww, Spence."

After a few moments of whispered reassurances, Spencer steadied herself enough to speak. "I'm Ss-sorry, Tob. You shouldn't have to listen to this. I'm such a baby. I-"

"Spencer, Spencer shh," Toby interrupted. "Stop. You don't have to be the queen of the jungle for every second, Spence, it's okay. Tell me what you're scared of, Spencer."

Hearing this made Spencer want to wrap her arms around him at that very second. She bit her lip, and began in a rush. "I…just…everything! Between Alison and Jenna and Melissa and now Ian… who KNOWS where he is… Toby, I saw him DEAD… he tried to push me down the bell tower, and I… I thought for sure I was gunna die, but then somebody came, somebody pushed him…and now he's gone, and-"

"Spencer, woah, back up…did you say somebody pushed him? Who?" Toby asked worriedly.

Spencer's heart skipped a beat. Everything she had just droned on about were things she of course had already told him - except for that part. She'd glossed over it before, because she knew she couldn't explain…telling Toby about A was similar enough to digging a grave for him. She shuddered. "I don't know," she said honestly. "All I saw was a black hoodie. There's so much, I wish I didn't know, Toby," she said, "so much I wish I could forget. And now I'm here alone, because my parents are in New York, they won't be home until tomorrow…someone broke in last week…and I just… I just can't shake the feeling that I'm not…safe." she whispered.

"Spencer," Toby said sincerely, and softly, "I never, ever, ever want you to be afraid to tell me anything. You have absolutely no reason to be ashamed of a word you just said. I understand, Spence. You have the right to be scared…but I want you to know that I will NEVER let anything happen to you. You should've called me earlier, Spence…it kills me to know that you've been scared all night long."

His words melted her soul, and her heart continued to thump unevenly. So this is what being loved felt like.

She wanted to tell him. Spencer wanted to tip her bowl full of fears about A into his lap, explaining everything. She wanted so badly to let him protect her.

But she knew better than she knew her own name that she absolutely couldn't.

So instead, she sniffled and whispered, "I wish I had. I love you."

She could tell by his tone that he was smiling, just like she was. "I love you too, Spencer. Forever."

Just as Spencer was beginning to lean backwards towards her pillow, the lightning struck again and she heard a twig outside snap.

She bolted upwards, nearly dropping her cell phone. She heard the same sound a second time, and the coil of fear that Toby had just spent 20 minutes untangling reknotted itself within a matter of seconds.

"Toby…" Spencer whispered in fright. "Toby, I think I just heard-"

But Spencer was curtly interrupted, by the most terrifying noise she had ever heard in her entire life - a soft knock coming from outside her window.

Spencer's heart dropped 20 feet down, her mind reeling, terror swallowing her whole. Had A heard her talking! Was it Ian? Spencer screamed at the top of her lungs, forgetting that she still held the phone to her ear. A second later, she heard the knocking again. She whipped her covers over her head and desperately tried and failed to stifle her scream.

Suddenly Toby, who hadn't said a thing for a full two minutes, spoke. "Spencer!" he said firmly, which caught her by intense surprise, "Calm down and open the window!"

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" Spencer shrieked at him.

"No…" he said, huffing, "But I AM about to lose my balance. Relax, Spencer. It's me."

**To be continued : )**


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you so much for all the positive feedback guys! And again, sorry i update so slow! : ) I put alot of work into this chapter...and I hope you love it :) the next chapter...well you'll just have to wait ;) love you all!_

**Chapter 3**

It took Spencer approximately two and a half seconds to comprehend what Toby had just said. But when she finally did, she hurriedly whipped off her comforter, leapt out of her bed, sprinted to the window and flung it open. The first thing she saw were his glistening blue eyes.

"Move out of the way, Spence," Toby ordered. Spencer stepped back immediately.

The first thing that came through the window was his phone. He threw it underhandedly and it landed with a soft pat onto the red leather armchair that rested near the window.

Spencer was so shocked at what was happening she couldn't even move. The sounds of the night were greatly intensified now that the window was open, and she could feel the cool wind blowing across her face.

5 seconds later, Toby had somehow safely gotten himself from the branch of the tree to Spencer's bedroom floor. He calmly picked his phone up off of the chair, and closed the window softly before he turned around to face Spencer.

Her eyes having long ago adjusted to the darkness of the room, Spencer could see him perfectly. Toby's hair was filled with crystalline water droplets, which made it appear darker than it actually was. His eyelashes looked especially long, and the way they framed his gorgeous sea-blue eyes had Spencer swooning. He was smiling patiently at her, understanding how shocked she was. He was wearing a navy windbreaker, but wore no shirt underneath it, much to Spencer's delight. She smiled as she appraised his plaid pyjama bottoms, because they were almost identical to her own.

As Spencer manoeuvred her gaze back to Toby's face, he let the windbreaker slip off his arms and drop to the floor. Slowly he took a step toward her and extended his arms…Spencer walked into them with absolutely no hesitation.

She let out an irrational sigh of contentment as she wrapped her arms around him; in turn, he circled his own around her. Despite the fact that he had just been out in the pouring rain, Toby's skin was _warm_. Spencer shuddered as goose bumps rose on her arms; in response to this, Toby held her tighter.

The two of them stood in the middle of Spencer's bedroom for a seemingly endless amount of time, neither moving or speaking. Spencer had her head pressed against Toby's chest, and she could feel his hot breath tingling her ear.

There was not a place in the world that Spencer could've felt safer.

After a while, Spencer slid her left hand up the contours of Toby's back until it reached his hair, and intertwined her fingers in it. Understanding, Toby leaned down and pressed his lips softly to hers. Their kiss began slowly and passionately, becoming more intense by the second. Spencer's heart was soaring as she effortlessly harmonized her lips with his. She had one hand on his face and the other still lingered in his hair; Toby had one hand secured around her waist, while the other moved up and down her arm. It was impossible for Spencer to feel anything but complete and utter joy while she was kissing him - all she could think about was how lucky she was to have him here with her. Every so often his lips would travel down her collarbone, and he would whisper that he loved her; everything about him made Spencer want to melt.

After several minutes, Toby gently touched his lips to Spencer's once more before pulling his face back, and tilting hers up to face him. "Still afraid?" he whispered.

Spencer was momentarily rendered speechless by the combination of his soothing voice and the intensity in which his eyes bore into her soul. But when she finally located her voice, she managed to whisper, "I…I think I'm good." He chuckled quietly, and pulled her close, using his hand to guide her face to the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes and inhaled his wondrous, comforting scent, and sighed when she felt him begin to stroke her hair.

Due to the overwhelming amount of emotion that occupied her brain, Spencer's head was spinning. She was overcome with breathtaking relief, joyful happiness, and acute exhaustion. A second too late she realized that her knees were shaking, and suddenly her legs gave out entirely.

Spencer gasped uncontrollably as she fell forward, but Toby responded automatically and caught her easily. "Okay, Sweetheart," he said comfortingly, and to Spencer's surprise, Toby picked her up, and positioned her in a fashion that enabled him to support her weight by resting his hands underneath her thighs. He held her like a parent holding a child; it was as if she was as light as a feather.

Quite enjoying this new arrangement, Spencer eagerly laid her head on his bare shoulder, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. Toby began to effortlessly sway them back and forth, and now that she didn't have to concentrate on keeping herself upright, Spencer let her eyelids droop. She knew it was only a matter of time before she fell blissfully to sleep in his arms.

After a few moments, Spencer was 99% asleep when Toby unexpectedly broke the silence. "Bedtime, Spence," he whispered softly.

And just like that, Spencer was wide awake again. Her heart thumped crookedly and she felt it drop somewhere on the floor near Toby's feet. Bedtime? What did he mean by that? Did that mean he was leaving now? She suddenly became aware of the ever-present storm that was still raging through the night. Her heart filled with dread at the thought of being alone. Spencer knew she had grown irrationally rigid, and had subconsciously tightened her grip around Toby's neck; she wondered embarrassedly if he'd noticed.

He had. He kissed her forehead gently as he walked from their spot near the window over to Spencer's bed. "It's okay, Spence," he said soothingly as he slowly lowered her onto the mattress. She unwillingly let go, looking up into his sea-blue, glorious, smouldering eyes. Spencer bit her lip, bracing herself for the goodbye.

But, as she found out a heartbeat later, a goodbye was not on Toby's agenda. A second after he had set Spencer down, he plopped down beside her. He pulled back the comforter, and pulled up the sheet. "Lie down," he ordered with mock sternness. She appraised him skeptically, but obliged, still wary. His stern look turned playful. "Now move the hell over," he laughed.

Spencer's chest released its knot of fear, and she smiled at him in amazement as she did what he said. "You're not leaving?" she asked happily as she watched him slide his legs under the comforter beside her.

He paused after her question. "Why…do you want me to?" he asked, looking hurt.

"NO!" Spencer practically shrieked at him. "You need to stay," she said afterwards.

He smiled, laying his head on her pillow. He was propped up on his left side, and he extended his arms, beckoning to her. Giggling with happiness, she slid close to him, keeping one of her arms near her body, and loping the other around his waist. Toby's left arm was under Spencer's head, the other he used to graze his fingers up and down Spencer's arm. Contentment and joy radiating through ever nerve-ending in her body, Spencer pressed her head against his warm chest.

She felt his lips in her hair, and focused on relaxing her rocketing heartbeat. "You can sleep now, Spencer. It's all okay," Toby whispered.

And, as Spencer fell blissfully into the safest kind of sleep she had ever known on that stormy, frightful night, in the arms of the man she truly loved, she realized that for once, yes. Everything was absolutely, completely and utterly okay.

**To be continued. : )**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Time Period - 2x04 Blind Dates… Ian's body will be discovered tomorrow_

_(remember that my storyline is intertwined loosely with the actual events that occur in the show; its not an exact science, but I do my best.) _

_Ps, sooooo glad you guys are enjoying it! Seriously, your reviews make my day. : )_

When Spencer awoke that Saturday morning, she didn't open her eyes right away. At first she was confused as to why she was so incredibly comfortable and warm; and she was also sure that the soft stroking she could feel against her cheek was a hallucination. But then, all at once the memories of last night flooded her mind, and her eyes flew open.

And there he was. Toby's angel face, smiling down at her. He was using the back of his hand to gently caress her right cheek. When he saw that Spencer had opened her eyes, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he whispered.

His breath on her ear sent tingles rushing down Spencer's spine. She turned her head towards him so that their faces were a mere inch apart, and eliminated the distance by pressing her lips to his. This kiss was softer, much more gentle than last night's, but not any less beautiful. It was tender, heart-felt, and like each of its predecessors, serenely perfect.

Without breaking the kiss, Toby gripped Spencer's forearms firmly and rolled onto his back, dragging her with him, so that she was now laying parallel on top of him. After hungrily tracing her lips across his jaw line and down the flawless curvature of his neck, Spencer folded her hands atop Toby's chest and rested her chin against them, gazing dreamily into his eyes. "Hi," Spencer breathed, smiling.

Toby tucked a few stray strands of hair behind Spencer's ear. "You're cute when you're scared," he teased.

"You're cute _all the time_," she countered, but her mind was wandering.

Toby touched his index finger to the tip of Spencer's nose. "What?" he said inquisitively.

"Hmm?" Spencer said, blinking.

"You made your question face just now," Toby noted. "What is it?"

Spencer was shocked at how easily he seemed to be able to read her. She did as he asked, and voiced her thoughts. "Toby…" she said slowly, "what are _you_ afraid of?"

Toby looked at Spencer thoughtfully. "Guess," he said quietly.

Spencer's expression turned grave. "Jenna?" she whispered.

Spencer saw the sharp pain flash in Toby's eyes, just as she felt it pierce her own heart. It was as if someone was torturing her; she couldn't bear to even think of someone hurting him that way.

Irrationally, Spencer needed to be closer to him. She inched her body upwards so that her head was wedged in the crook of Toby's neck; she felt his hand brush against her hair softly. Spencer's right arm was wrapped tightly around Toby's left side, and she was using her other arm to hold his other hand against her heart. Her eyes shut, Spencer let her love for him radiate from her body, hoping that Toby could feel it seeping into his veins.

And laying this way in his arms, Spencer realized, was the farthest she would ever force him to go. Spencer knew, knew from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet that she loved Toby. She knew that their lives weren't separate anymore, but intertwined in a way that was irreversible. And she knew that if he wanted to make love to her - today, tomorrow, or right this second - that she would agree without question.

However; Spencer also knew that, because of the malicious actions of a certain malevolent blind _bitch _- Toby's thoughts on sex were tainted. Because of _her_ all he knew was something dark, something evil, something wrong. Spencer was almost sure that she had the power to change his mind - but she knew that it had to be on _his_ terms. She wouldn't dream of even bringing up the subject before he did; the last thing she wanted was to scare him. Whenever it happened, Toby would make it beautiful. Because she knew that, Spencer could wait. Because she knew that, she was content where she was, safe in his warm and secure embrace.

"There's one more thing," Toby said, running his fingers through Spencer's hair.

Spencer clutched his hand tighter. "Tell me," she said, her voice muffled against his skin.

Toby began methodically rubbing Spencer's back with the ball of his hand. "Well Spence…" he started, pausing to consider how he should word it, "I'm terrified of the fact that there's so many people in this town who seem to want to hurt you," he said in a tone thick with worry.

Spencer's heart swelled, her eyes watering. She touched her lips briefly to Toby's throat, and whispered, "Toby. I do not deserve you, not at all. Words cannot describe how much I love you." She kissed him again. "But don't worry about me, Tob. I can handle myself."

Toby wrapped his arms around her firmly and sat up, rearranging Spencer so that she sat comfortably in his lap. He unleashed the power of his eyes on her again, staring lovingly into hers. "Oh, I know you can. You're my little jungle queen," he said playfully, kissing her forehead.

Spencer smacked his arm lightly, laughing. For the first time since she'd awoken, she glanced around her room. It was 10:38am, according to the clock on her bedside table. Outside the rain had stopped; sunlight was filtering in through the window. She could hear cars passing, bird chirping. Suddenly and unexpectedly a memory stirred, and Spencer couldn't resist laughing aloud.

Toby raised an eyebrow at Spencer. "And you're laughing…because….?" he asked her, chuckling.

Spencer laughed again. "I was just thinking about the last time the two of us spent the night together," she said, amazed at how much had changed since then.

"Oh you mean that night I brutally murdered your Scrabble-self-esteem? Yeah, mhm, I remember that," Toby said, nodding enthusiastically.

Spencer laughed once, and then pursed her lips in mock seriousness. "I demand. A rematch."

Toby rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just name the time and destination in which you want to be slaughtered," he said, echoing her tone. "And hey by the way," he added, "Do I ever get my pyjama shirt back? Or is that yours?"

Spencer leaned forward suddenly, reaching behind him to swiftly yank a grey long-sleeved top out from under the pillow they'd shared. She held it up in front of him. "It's right here," Spencer said, hugging it to her chest, "And no, you absolutely do not get it back. It's _mine_."

Toby pressed his forehead against Spencer's. "_You're _mine," he whispered firmly.

Spencer dropped his shirt onto her lap, freeing her hands, which she placed on either side of his face. She pulled him closer to her, planting her lips on his yet again. Toby's hands rested gently on her shoulders, but his lips moved vigorously this time. Spencer's hands travelled down from his face, coming to a stop against his bare chest.

After a few moments Spencer's heart was sprinting, and as she pulled back slightly so she could breath, Toby's lips transferred to her neck. She kept her eyes closed, but spoke. "That morning, in the hotel when I woke up…" she panted, "My arm was around you," she told him, unsure of what point she was trying to make.

Toby abruptly tilted his head up so that his eyes were level with hers again. "You honestly thought you successfully pulled it away without me noticing?" he asked skeptically.

Spencer smiled. "I think I wanted you to notice," she admitted, "but I didn't understand that then."

Toby kissed her nose. "I know exactly what you mean," he said. "Now. I do believe the appropriate time for breakfast has arrived, wouldn't you agree, Miss Hastings?"

It wasn't until he mentioned food that Spencer realized that she was starving. "I would agree, Mr. Cavanaugh," she said as she climbed off his lap.

As Toby stood up she crawled across the bed to her bedside table to get her cell phone. She grabbed it without glancing at it, and promptly stood up, walked back to where Toby was standing at the edge of the bed, placed her hands on his shoulders and jumped on his back. He caught her easily, as if he'd known her plan all along.

As Toby walked out the door of Spencer's room, down the hall and began his descent on the stairs, Spencer saw the tiny light on the corner of her phone flash. She unlocked it and the letters glowed in red, _One New Text._

She opened it, and as she read the words her heart turned to ice.

_Last time I checked, I was queen of the jungle, Spence. PS. Be happy I let you play for that long! Love you! - A_

Before Spencer could even find the time to gasp, Toby had gotten them to the bottom of the stairs. And there, in the middle of kitchen, stood Peter and Veronica Hastings.

**TO BE CONTINUED : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Hey guys! Oh my gosh, please, give me a long time out for taking so long to update. I'm such a wuss… what with the Spoby breakup, I couldn't bring myself to write this chapter. I hope you enjoy every sad minute of it…and keep calm because true love conquers all. ; )**

_Time Period - 2x04 Blind Dates… Ian's body will be discovered tomorrow_

_(remember that my storyline is intertwined loosely with the actual events that occur in the show; its not an exact science, but I do my best.) _

Both of their chests panged with fear as Toby quietly lowered Spencer from his back to the ground.

Hearing the small thud of their daughter's feet hitting the hardwood, both Hastings parents turned around to face the bottom of the staircase, expecting to see Spencer standing alone, ready for a freshly brewed cup of Saturday morning caffeine.

Of course today, Spencer was not alone.

When the pair saw Toby, standing shirtless and stock still next to Spencer, all hell broke loose immediately.

Veronica gasped, clapping her hand to her head. Peter stared menacingly, his face glowering, his skin tone changing shades rapidly from red to purple to blue and back again.

Barely a second had passed. Spencer's lip quivered, not knowing what to say. She took a breath. "Dad, I can-"

But Peter Hastings had no intention of letting her finish. "Oh, stop. Save your explanations, Spencer. How _could_ you?" his voice was slowly increasing in volume, making Spencer cower. "We leave you alone for _one_ night, and _this _is what you do? With _him_?" Peter sneered, his eyes shifting to Toby.

Anger surged through Spencer as her father glared accusingly at her boyfriend. "Dad, we didn't DO anything! It stormed last night, and he was just-"

"SPENCER!" Peter bellowed, taking a step forward. "STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR HIM! YOU KNOW HOW YOUR MOTHER AND I FEEL ABOUT HIM, YOUNG LADY! YOU ARE A PERSON OF INTEREST IN A MURDER INVESTIGATION, AND I FORBID YOU TO SEE SOMEONE WITH SUCH A RABID REPUTATION!"

Spencer glared back at her father. "Excuses for him? Excuses for _WHAT? _HE HAS _NEVER_ DONE ANYTHING WRONG!" she screamed back at him. "I _love _him!"

Spencer's mother scoffed and rolled her eyes. "_Love_ him? He's playing you, Spencer," she said, gesturing to Toby, who was looking helplessly from Peter to Veronica.

Spencer's eyes bulged. "_Playing_ me? OH MY _GOD_, mother. IAN is the one playing _YOU! _For the thousandth time, _IAN _KILLED ALISON! IN CASE YOU HADN'T HEARD, HE TOLD ME THAT THE NIGHT HE _TRIED TO KILL ME." _

Veronica pressed her hands to her face, weary of her daughter's "obsession with accusing Ian of killing Alison."

Tears pricked the sides of Spencer's eyes, and Toby gently placed his hands on her slender shoulders. She turned, trying to communicate with him with only her expression.

Suddenly, Peter yanked Spencer's arm roughly, wrenching her away from Toby. "KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF HER," he screeched.

Spencer began to cry, and Toby's eyes narrowed. "Sir, I swear nothing happened. She was so scared, and I knew that she-"

"GET OUT. OF MY HOUSE. NOW," Peter Hastings shrieked at him.

"DAD," Spencer cried, trying to wrestle away from him, but to no avail. "STOP."

"IF YOU DON'T LEAVE THIS HOUSE RIGHT THIS INSTANT, AND STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER, I WILL PERSONALLY CONTACT YOUR CONTRACTOR AND INFORM HIM THAT THERE IS A SEXUAL ASSAULTER ON HIS CONSTRUCTION TEAM."

Toby's jaw dropped, and Spencer sobbed harder. "Toby, go," she stammered through her tears. "I'll be okay. He's not kidding," she added, attempting to sever her father with her hatred-filled gaze.

Toby's expression was murderous, his jaw clenched. Spencer watched him tearfully as slowly he stepped forward. But instead of heading toward the door, Toby's gaze landed on Spencer's father, and he strode towards them. He quickly planted a kiss on Spencer's forehead and turned, but not before Peter's fist came in contact with Toby's jaw with a sickening crunch.

Spencer screamed, horrified. Toby didn't say a word, swiftly turning and walking to the door, seemingly unaffected by the blow. He twisted the handle and pushed it open. But before he left, he smiled gravely at Spencer. "Love you, Spence," he said pointedly, before gently shutting the door.

Spencer stared at the closed door, her entire frame shaking with tears. She turned to her father.

"I'm sorry, Spencer," He said strictly, "But this is how it has to be. You can't spend time with him. Just because the blood evidence was corrupted, doesn't mean he didn't do it."

Spencer's eyes became even wider as she tried to comprehend what her father was saying. All she could think about was Toby's loving, protective hands perched on her shoulders. How she missed him terribly, already. Suddenly, her phone beeped.

She went to raise her arm to see who had texted her, but her mother snatched the phone out of her hand stealthily before she could see. "Spencer, I think it would be best if we took care of that for a while," she said evenly, trying to arrange her features into a look of pity. "We're only doing what's best for you, honey."

Spencer bit her lip, and jerked her arm out of her father's tight grasp. She marched to the staircase…the very same one that she had descended happily not five minutes ago.

Spencer sniffled, and before taking the stairs two at a time, she glowered at her parents. "_You two. _That's what isn't good for me," she growled, and before they could respond, she turned and ran to her room.

Shaking with anger and despair, Spencer slammed her door audibly. She staggered to her bed, picking up Toby's pyjama shirt and cradling it to her chest, utterly sobbing. As she crawled up to the top of her bed and got under the covers, she sobbed even harder when she realized that Toby's precious scent still lingered discreetly on her pillow.

She absolutely could not wrap her mind around what had just happened. As she lay alone on her bed, she sorted the events into two piles.

The first pile was heaping with her father's hateful actions. The accusations. The threats. Yelling at him to leave, to keep his hands off her. Dragging Spencer away from him. _Punching _him. Hatred towards her father radiated through her. How _dare _he punch her Toby.

_Toby. _The tears flowed faster as Spencer sifted through the second pile. His hands, hovering protectively over her shoulders. Standing up to her father, trying to explain. He'd bravely approached ornery Peter Hastings, jut so he could kiss her one last time. _"Love you, Spence,"_ his words echoed in her ears. Based on this pile, it was so evident, so _blatantly obvious _that there was no doubt that Toby truly loved Spencer. How could her parents not see that? Were they _blind_?

Spencer knew the answer to that one. Of course they were blind-blind to everything and anything that possessed even the slightest imperfection. Her sobs dragged on, continuing for hours.

After about two, long hours, her mother knocked on the door, calling her name softly. Spencer had yelled for her to go away, not feeling up for another feud.

After another two hours, someone knocked on the door again. "Go. Away," Spencer ordered sharply, sniffling.

"Spencer?" a perky voice called worriedly. "It's me. Are you okay?"

Spencer jumped up, becoming momentarily dizzy from sitting up too fast. She trudged quickly to the door and swung it open, flinging her arms around Aria.

Aria put her arms around Spencer, gently leading her to the bed. They sat down and Spencer continued to sob against Aria's shoulder, practically sitting on her lap.

Aria rubbed Spencer's back tentatively, confused. "Spence, what's the matter? What happened? How come you haven't been answering my texts?"

Spencer lifted her head, her puffy eyes meeting Aria's concerned ones. "Last night…the storm…A…my dad _HIT TOBY_," Spencer sputtered, wailing.

"Oh my God," Aria said, pulling Spencer into a tight hug. "Tell me everything, Spencey."

Spencer cleared her throat before shakily reliving this morning's events, her face adorned with a haunted expression. "And my mom took my phone, and then she-" suddenly, a painful stab of need surged through her. "Ria your phone! Where is it?" Spencer cried.

Aria dug hurriedly through her purse, retrieving her cell phone and handing it to Spencer without hesitation. Her hands shaking, Spencer dialled his number and pressed the phone desperately against her ear.

It rang only twice before he answered. "Hello?" Toby's voice said urgently, most likely guessing the reason for the call.

"Toby!" Spencer sobbed, her tears making a billionth appearance. "Toby, that was all my fault, I cant believe that he-" she sputtered.

Toby cut off Spencer's fragmented cries of apology. "Shhh, Spencer, shhh, sweetheart. It's okay, it's okay."

"It's _not!" _Spencer insisted. "My father threatened to accuse you of rape and then _punched_ you! If I hadn't acted like such a baby, if I had just gone to sleep like a normal person, this never would have-"

"Spencer, shhh. Stop, baby. Listen to me. We're going to figure this out," Toby assured her.

Spencer took another deep breath. "How?" she asked shakily. "How can I do anything when I'm not with you?"

"I know, Spence, I know, sweetheart. Look, I called Tod, and he said there's a five day construction job waiting for me in Yardley."

Spencer interrupted him with a curt and shrill sob. Aria was still sitting next to her, rubbing her back soothingly.

"I know, Spencer. But if I go, it will give your parents a chance to cool off. They're just really stressed right now," he said comfortingly, "Melissa's going crazy and they still don't know where Ian is."

Spencer was absolutely perplexed. Toby was _defending_ her parents? Her father? After what had just happened? She sighed. Never in her life would she ever be able to compare herself to him.

"Ian's dead," Spencer said. She was getting dreadfully sick of repeating that particular phrase.

"Oh, I know. I believe you, sweetheart. But you have to find him, you have to figure it out. And when you do, your parents will have no excuses. Prove them wrong, Spence. I know you can. You can do anything, jungle queen," he said lightly.

Spencer's heart throbbed. "I miss you," she whispered, the wondrous memories of the previous night flooding her mind.

"I miss you too, Spence. So, so, so much, baby. But don't worry. In five days, everything will be okay, I promise. I'll come home and we'll kiss and I'll kick your ass at Scrabble once again."

Spencer giggled through her tears. As she was about to respond, her mother called up the stairs. "Spencer? Aria? Dinner's on!"

Spencer's heart froze. "I have to go. They took my phone, Tob, but I'll call you whenever I can. I love you, Toby," Spencer said, her voice thick.

"I'll love you until the end of time, Spencer Hastings. Don't worry." and with that, the line went dead.

Spencer took a deep breath as her mother hollered a second time. "We should go downstairs," Aria whispered.

Spencer looked up at her best friend. "We have to find Ian," she whispered urgently, desperately, "We have to prove that he killed Ali."

Aria pulled Spencer in again for another hug. "Don't worry," she said, stroking Spencer's tangled curls, "we will."

**TO BE CONTINUED : )**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Hey guys! Loving your positive feedback and comments, keep them coming! As a trivial side note, the entire reason I fabricated this fanfic was to find a way to rationalize why Toby wasn't at Ian's funeral, being there for Spencer…so now we know, clearly he was in Yardley, lol. We're fast-forwarding a bit, to after Ian's discovery and funeral…because of course, we already know what happens in that time frame. Hope you enjoy! **

**Xoxo, Jenn.**

_Time Period - After 205:_

_The girls discovered Ian's body on Sunday, the day after Toby left, and Monday was the funeral. Tuesday, the girls turned to side with Emily on the fact that Ian's suicide was staged by A - but as of now of course the entire town, including Peter and Veronica Hastings, all assume that Ian killed Ali. It's now early on Wednesday, and Toby is due back on Thursday night. _

Spencer woke with a start on Wednesday morning, shaking off yet another bad dream. She had been feeling safer now that Ian was six feet under, but of course, there was still A.

Even though she had been trying her best to prevent it, the events of the last three days skittered their way across her mind yet again. Talking to Wren, desperate for answers. Making a plan to follow Melissa. Holding her sobbing sister when they found Ian's dead body, the gun, the suicide note. How finally, she was allowed to speak to her friends. The funeral, how she'd wished so desperately that Toby could've been there, to rub her shoulders or to hold her hand. How now, after Emily's discovery, everything was a big jumble of confusion and fear all over again.

Spencer sighed. Her parents had apologized profusely for not believing her and her friends, but they had yet to utter a single word about the events that had occurred on Saturday morning. She wondered what would happen when Toby came back on Thursday night - would they finally give him a break, or would they _still_ suspect he was trouble?

Outside, the birds were chirping as Rosewood came alive for the day. The town was clad in an atmospheric euphoria - for all of them, the mystery of Alison's death was over, case closed. Ian had confessed, and then killed himself, the guilt being too much. The town liked the story, and the residents were finally calming down. _Don't hold your breath, _Spencer thought ruefully.

Stretching, Spencer sat up in her bed. She carefully folded Toby's grey shirt, and tucked it under her pillow. She glanced at the clock, frowning at the glowing red numbers. 6:30am. Heading toward her bathroom, she frowned again, thinking of how much she wished she could hug Toby at this very moment.

Spencer peeled off her pyjamas and got in the shower, shivering violently as the water first came in contact with her skin. She let the hot water drench her completely, standing still for a long time. When she was finished in the shower she threw her hair up into a wet ponytail, refusing to blow dry and curl it when the only person she cared to impress wouldn't see.

Throwing on a cotton tank, a navy sweatshirt, and matching juicy sweatpants, Spencer let herself fall into her red leather chair by the window. She still had loads of time before she had to be at Rosewood Day, so she closed her eyes, combing through the memories of sleeping on this very chair, peacefully in Toby's lap.

Spencer was absolutely revolted by her father. She'd always known he didn't particularly like Toby, but threatening to call his contractor and accuse him of _sexual assault? _She just couldn't fathom how his mind functioned.

When the clock hit 8:15, Spencer sighed, dragged herself down the stairs, slung her school bag on her shoulder, and headed for the door, not bothering to eat anything. It was the last day she and her friends were required to be at school for the week - they had Thursday and Friday off because midterms began on Monday.

Surprisingly, Aria's car was parked in front of Spencer's house. She could see Emily in the passenger seat, and guessed Hanna was in the back. Spencer opened the side door, sliding in next to Hanna.

"We thought you'd want a lift," Aria said.

Spencer smiled at Aria, who could see her through the rear view mirror. "Thanks," she said sincerely.

Emily turned around to face Spencer. "How are you?" she asked gently.

"Definitely not fashion forward today, apparently," Hanna said, appraising Spencer's hair and sweatpants. Emily shot her a glare.

Spencer leaned her head on Hanna's shoulder. "I just miss him," she said.

Hanna patted her head sympathetically, smiling down at her. "We know, Spence. Your missing him is directly correlated with us missing your fab fashion sense."

"He'll be home tomorrow night," Emily said, ignoring Hanna's jab, "Don't worry."

Spencer tried to smile, and Aria pulled her car into the Rosewood Day lot. The girls all opened their respective doors, grabbed their bags, and got out. Hanna applied a healthy coating lip gloss, and before heading to her first class, she declared, "Btw, we're hitting King James after school today, ladies. I need shoes and a new shirt that Caleb can take off me."

Spencer groaned, dreading the thought of being dragged around the Rosewood mall. "Not me," she pleaded.

"Yes you, Debbie Downer. Don't you want a new outfit to wear for Mr. Carpenter's romantic return?"

Spencer rolled her eyes. "No, thanks. I'm good."

Hanna ignored her, flouncing off with Aria to their first class. Emily and Spencer had first period Biology together, and Emily loped her arm through Spencer's. "Don't worry, Spence. If you don't feel like shopping, we'll just hit Starbucks and chat while Ria and Han shop. I don't really need anything, and there's this rumour going around that you like coffee," Emily said kindly.

Spencer smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Em."

The school day passed blurrily. Spencer travelled robotically from class to class, mechanically answering the questions her teachers asked. She barely ate anything at lunch, picking apart her Caesar salad, sorting the lettuce into colour-coded piles. Her friends continued to smile at her, and she knew that, despite their jokes, they truly felt sorry for her. It wasn't like their relationships were easy, either.

When the final bell rang, the girls met at Aria's car. "Finally," Hanna said, "This is going to be fun!" she declared enthusiastically. The four clambered into the Subaru, and Aria sped off in the direction of the mall.

Hanna picked at Spencer's hair, which was haphazardly wavy in its messy ponytail. "You know, you really should have at least done something with this," she chastised, tsking her disapproval. "You're going to regret it."

Spencer did her best to tune her out. Aria skilfully backed into a parking spot, and the girls headed for the entrance. "Starbucks," Spencer pleaded.

"Okay, okay, Debbie needs caffeine," Hanna laughed.

Aria headed to the counter to order their lattes while the remaining three girls found a round, clean table. When Aria joined them, Spencer ripped her coffee out of the tray and started gulping it down, the hot liquid scalding her mouth and throat.

"Slow down, Spence. You're going to have a heart attack," Aria said.

Emily laughed. "She won't. Her body's used to daily overdoses of caffeine."

Suddenly, Hanna's phones beeped. She grabbed it out of her purse, smiling. "Uhh, Mona says there's this huge sale at the jewellery kiosk," Hanna announced. "It's right over there," she said, pointing down the strip of stores.

Spencer and Emily were sitting next to each other, their backs to the kiosk. "You go," Spencer said. "I don't need any jewellery."

Hanna and Aria exchanged a knowing glance, and Emily was also smiling encouragingly. "Yes, Spencer, I think you do," Aria said quietly.

Spencer shook her head, "I don't."

"Spencer, I'm pretty sure you need some new earrings." Hanna said.

"Hanna, I'm pretty sure you should shut up."

"Spence, don't deny it. You are in desperate need of new gold hoops," Hanna shot back, half laughing.

Spencer stood up, her annoyance flaring and getting the best of her. "I _DO. NOT." _She said, her back still to the jewellery kiosk, refusing to even look at it. "I don't need earrings. I don't need jewellery. I don't need my best friends bugging the hell out of me. The only thing I really need is this really sweet guy with blue eyes," Spencer cried, her voice growing thicker as she thought about Toby. "He's sweet and he's loving and I _need_ him. But he's not _HERE, _NOW IS HE_? _NO, OF COURSE NOT, HE'S-"

Suddenly. Aria interrupted Spencer's exasperated rant, gripping her shoulders firmly, and forcefully spinning her body around, so that she had no choice but to face the jewellery kiosk.

Spencer's coffee slipped out of her hands and crashed to floor, her mouth popping open. "Right there," Aria whispered, knowing that Spencer's eyes had finally fallen upon an archangel with sparkling blue eyes smiling at her from beside the jewellery kiosk about 30 feet away from their table. "He's right there."

**TO BE CONTINUED : )**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Hey guys! PLL LAST NIGHT…OH MY SPOBY.**

**Thanks again for all of your stellar reviews, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. : ) No more sadness, pinkie promise!**

**- Jenn**

Spencer was sure that she was hallucinating. That couldn't be Toby, standing handsomely next to the jewellery kiosk, his blue eyes intent on her face. It couldn't, because that was impossible.

Except it _was. _

Barely a second had passed, and all at once Spencer broke into a sprint. She navigated the Starbucks tables expertly at lightning speed, desperate to get to Toby. As soon as he'd seen her start running, he began running, too.

Normally, Spencer and Toby were in no way the raging teenage, PDA lovebirds - that was Hanna and Caleb's job. But today, everything was different.

When the couple met in the middle, Spencer literally _jumped _into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. Toby caught her reflexively, holding her tightly against him. Moaning and shaking, Spencer crashed her lips against his, not caring who saw or what they thought. Toby's kiss was intense, more so than ever before, his lips soft but furiously urgent. Spencer's hands were wound tightly around his neck, holding herself as close to him as was possible. His scent was pristine, hypnotic and perfect. Toby adjusted his grip on Spencer, freeing one of his hands. Supporting her with only one arm, he used his other hand to pull the hair band out of Spencer's hair, letting her dark brown locks fall around her shoulders. Toby intertwined his fingers in Spencer's hair, a low moan escaping his throat as she sucked on his bottom lip.

Slowly, Toby moved his lips to Spencer's neck. Tears of bliss fell from Spencer's eyes as she breathed heavily, caressing his hair. "My heart. Is so yours," she stammered, rubbing the back of his neck, burying her face in his hair.

Toby lifted his head, kissing her nose. The way his wispy eyelashes framed his eyes was so beautiful that it made Spencer want to cry harder. "Without you, I would _die_," Toby countered, cupping her cheek.

Desire overcame her again, the need for Toby's lips on hers so potent that it was almost painful. Time, place, predicament - all was forgotten. All that mattered was that while she was kissing him - Toby Cavanaugh, the boy she loved so much that just the sight of him shook her to the core - there was no such thing as an imperfection.

Only minutes had passed, but it could have been hours. Finally, the two pulled back, both gasping for air. Spencer blinked rapidly, assembling her jumbled thoughts. One minute she had been yelling at her friends, and the next she was being lovingly cradled by her own personal Greek-God-miracle. How the hell had that even happened?

"Yardley?" Spencer stammered questioningly.

"I'm holding something far more important," Toby reasoned, brushing the stray hairs out of Spencer's face.

"But-"

"Shh, baby, no buts. Just kissing," he said, pressing his lips gently and slowly against hers, tracing the shape of her lips with his tongue.

After several more minutes of vigorous French kissing, Toby spoke again. "I wish I had gotten here sooner, Spence. I should have been there for you at the funeral. I'm so-"

"No apologies, just kissing," Spencer ordered, brushing her lips on his forehead and eyelids.

Toby chuckled softly. "Don't you worry, Miss Hastings. We have all the time in the world for kissing…but I think we should stop grossing out your friends."

Spencer humphed, suddenly remembering that there were other people in the world that existed outside her little bubble of happiness. "Okay. You can put me down."

Toby set Spencer carefully on her feet, squeezing her shoulders. Her friends were standing a few feet away, grinning like idiots. Spencer was about to call them over, but suddenly she needed something else. She turned around, half expecting Toby to be gone, the whole thing just a figment of her imagination. Miraculously, he was still there. "Umm, hug me, now," Spencer begged, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her head against his rock-hard-but-soft-at-the-same-time chest. Toby kissed the top of her head, wrapping his strong arms protectively around Spencer, enveloping her into her absolute favourite kind of hug.

"Okay. Okay I'm good," she said, and Toby laughed. "I'm _done,_" Spencer called to her friends, who exploded with laughter. "Now get your asses over here so I can hug you before I kill you."

Aria, Emily and Hanna walked over slowly, Hanna literally doubling over with laughter. "That…was…classic!" She stammered, wiping the tears of laughter off her face.

Spencer gave Hanna a quick squeeze, and then all four girls arranged themselves in a group hug. "Okay, that was just _mean." _Spencer said in mock horror.

Aria laughed. "Jesus, Spencer, you made it hard enough. _I don't want to go to the mall, I don't want to shop, I don't want to go to the jewellery kiosk," _Aria mimicked her. "I thought I was going to have to drag you over there by your hair." 

"Have you known about this _all day?_" Spencer demanded, turning to Emily for the answer.

"Umm…maybe?" Emily said.

Spencer's mouth popped open. "I colour-coded my _salad _today. You couldn't have clued me in?" she demanded, trying to keep a straight face.

Hanna's rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that was kinda freaky. But we were sworn to secrecy," she explained, shifting her gaze to Toby, who was watching their hilarious conversation with an amused expression.

"Oh my God, get over here," Spencer ordered. Toby obeyed, wading through the mass of girls to get to Spencer, kissing her again.

Hanna coughed. "Get a room."

Aria giggled mischievously. "Oh, but they have one."

Spencer turned toward her friends. _"Pardon?"_

The girls just laughed. "We'll see you later, Spencer," Aria called.

And with that, Aria, Hanna and Emily walked away, leaving Spencer alone with Toby, a perplexed look on her face. She turned to Toby for answers.

Toby laughed, grabbing Spencer's hands, pressing his forehead against hers. "A little bird told me you hate surprises," Toby said slyly.

"I'll kill Aria," Spencer growled.

Toby chuckled, using his lips to make her swoon. Spencer clutched his plaid shirt, deepening the kiss. Effortlessly lifting her into his arms again, Toby pulled back so that he could use the power of his eyes on his girlfriend. Spencer's whole body was on fire, chills running down her spine as Toby's blue eyes bore into her own. "Would you call the cops if I told you I was kidnapping you?" Toby asked.

Spencer paused, pretending to consider it. "Hmm. Maybe I would."

Toby kissed her forehead, and began walking to the nearest exit. "I suppose I'll take my chances, Spencer Hastings," he said, pushing open the door.

Spencer laughed, searching the lot for his truck. She spotted it, a good 300 feet away in the last row. "You know, my legs work perfectly fine," she said.

Toby rolled his eyes, and continued walking as if he was carrying a pillow rather than an 115lb person. "Can you calm down? We're doing this my way."

Spencer widened her eyes, and pretended to zip her lips and throw away the key, leaning her head against Toby's chest.

When they reached the truck, Toby opened the passenger door, setting Spencer down carefully. "What, you aren't gunna do up my seatbelt?" she asked sarcastically. Toby patted her head, buckled her seatbelt, and kissed her forehead. Spencer had no idea what the hell was going on.

Toby shut her door, and walked around his truck, getting into the driver's seat. He started the car and began driving, holding one of Spencer's hands. "Toby, what the-"

"Shh!" Toby said in mock sternness. "You're my kidnappee, and I say that now is not the time for questions."

Spencer raised her eyes at him. "Am I allowed to break the law and take off my seatbelt so I can lay in your lap?" she asked innocently.

Toby tapped his chin dramatically. "I suppose that would be acceptable," he said.

Spencer unbuckled her seatbelt, crawling across the seat to lay her head against Toby's jeans. He stroked her face, driving with one hand. Spencer grabbed the hand on her face, playing with it. It was about 5pm, the sun low in the sky. After about 20 minutes, Toby parked the truck. Spencer knew where they were without having to look; it was their spot.

Toby cut the engine. "Sit up, baby," he prodded Spencer, "Let me hold you."

Spencer sat up immediately, eager to be held. Toby arranged them so that his back was against the passenger door, Spencer snuggled in his lap, facing him. He pulled Spencer against his chest, using his strong, laboured hands to message her shoulders. Spencer's low moan of pleasure broke the silence; his fingers probing her spine felt simply amazing.

"See," Spencer said, her voice muffled against his shirt, "If it were up to me, I would take up a permanent residence as your kidnappee. Even though kidnappee isn't a real word."

Toby chuckled, squeezing her. "You okay, Spence?"

Spencer smiled into his chest. "Mmm, perfect."

"No no, baby. Look at me," Toby said seriously, gently gripping Spencer's arms and pulling her backward so that he could see her face. "Are you _really _okay? A lot's happened over the past few days, and I know I haven't been around. I'm sorry," he said sadly, the look in his eyes heartbreaking.

Spencer wanted to cry. How badly she wished she could tell him everything - the whole story, from start to finish. She knew he could protect her.

But of course, Spencer couldn't tell Toby about A. "Toby," she said softly, placing her hands on his smooth cheeks, "Don't apologize, please. It's okay. I'll admit, yes, being Spencer Hastings isn't easy," she said, laughing once without humour. "But I have something the rest of the world doesn't - this amazing person who loves me, insists on surprising me even though I hate surprises, and never lets me walk anywhere, because he thinks carrying me is fun."

Toby pressed his lips to Spencer's then, his kiss heartfelt and infinitely tender. Spencer swooned, sweeping her hands slowly from his cheeks to his chest. "I love you, Spencer Hastings," Toby whispered into her hair, "And if there's ever anything, _anything_ bugging, bothering, hurting, or frightening you, I want you to tell me, okay? I'll take care of it. I'll take care of _you."_

Tears welled in Spencer's eyes as she resumed leaning against Toby's chest. "I love you," she whispered. Toby rubbed the small of her back in soothing, rhythmic circles.

Suddenly, Spencer's stomach gurgled audibly, ruining her moment of perfection.

"Ahh," Toby said, his tone having changed back to light, dramatic and flirty, "I see it's dinnertime for my prisoner."

**TO BE CONTINUED : )**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Hey guys! I'd just like to thank you yet again for your amazing support and reviews. I hope y'all like this chapter … its pretty short, but it sets up what is to come!**

**Ciao my loves,**

**Jenn**

Spencer giggled as Toby got out and locked her in the truck, already having made her swear she wouldn't open her eyes until he came back. Sitting there with her eyes shut tight, Spencer decided to use this time to try and comb through her tangled mess of hair with her fingers. As she attempted and failed to calm the snarls, she laughed suddenly as Hanna's words echoed in her ears. _"You know, you really should have at least done something with this. You're going to regret it." _Spencer sighed. One day, she would get revenge on her conniving best friends.

After about 5 minutes, Toby opened her door, making Spencer jump. He clapped his hands over her eyes before she could open them and took her hand, pulling her to a stand on the grass. Carefully, Toby led Spencer around the truck, and positioned her so that she was facing the truck bed. Slowly, he lowered his hand from her face. "Your dinner, my darling," he said in a faux-fancy voice, gesturing.

Spencer blinked twice, her eyes adjusting to the dimness of the night. When she saw what Toby had done to the back of the truck, her heart swelled and she gasped.

The floor of the truck bed was covered in a red and white picnic blanket, with two adjacent flickering candles in the centre. On either side of the blanket was a neat and simple place setting, complete with a tall glass of milk and a heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a plate.

"Do you often kill your captives with your adorability?" Spencer demanded, awestruck at her boyfriend's handiwork.

"Couldn't answer that," Toby said, lithely climbing into the truck bed, "You're the only one I've ever bothered to capture."

Spencer could do nothing but grin, her heart soaring as she hoisted herself up, crawling over to her spot across from Toby. The two began eating, and Spencer surprised herself by how hungry she seemed to be - she was finished her sandwich in seconds. "So," she said, wiping the peanut butter off her face with a napkin, "You beat me at Scrabble. You crawl in my window. You carry me everywhere. You manage to give me a surprise that I love. You're an excellent kidnapper, and apparently an excellent PB & J maker… is there anything you _can't_ do, Toby Cavanaugh?" Spencer joked.

"Live without you," he answered automatically.

Spencer leaned towards him, kissing his cheek over their little makeshift table. "Good thing you'll never have to face that challenge. You're stuck with me," she whispered into his ear.

"I'm counting on that," Toby said, moving the plates, empty glasses, and candles to one side so he could drag Spencer towards him, their foreheads touching.

Just as Spencer was about to think of a comeback, something familiar-looking caught her eye. "Is that…_my duffel bag?_" Spencer asked, gesturing to the purple bag that appeared to be full in the truck bed's corner.

"Nope," Toby said, biting his lip. "It's Jenna's…you must have the same one. After I drop you off, her and I are spending the night together at the Edgewood Motorcourt."

Spencer's jaw dropped, and she was unable to hide the horrified look on her face.

After approximately 15 seconds of observing Spencer's penetrating glare, Toby's serious face faded, and he suddenly erupted into laughter. "My gosh, Spencer, I'm kidding!" he said, amused by the look on her face. "Someone is gullible today."

Spencer rolled her eyes and exhaled. "What _IS THIS_?" she demanded, smacking his chest lightly, "National Lie to Spencer Day?"

Toby laughed again, kissing her nose. "You should have seen your cute little face just now," he said, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, "Priceless."

Spencer climbed into Toby's lap, taking his two hands in her own. "So the bag _is _mine, then?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes," Toby announced, smiling, "Filled to the brim with your stuff and _our _Scrabble board, courtesy of the lovely Aria Montgomery."

Spencer wrinkled her nose in confusion. "And when, exactly, did Miss Montgomery find the time to rob my room?" she asked him.

Toby laughed. "This morning…apparently you were in the shower. She came to pick you up for school, right? I fished the bag from her trunk before I headed to the kiosk."

Spencer nodded, the puzzle pieces clicking into place. Her eyes fell on the duffel again, and she laughed, picturing Aria sneaking into her room, gathering things from her closet and drawers. Suddenly, Spencer was insanely curious as to what was in the bag - but she quickly suppressed her urge to look, for fear of finding something embarrassing. Instead, she shifted her gaze back to Toby's baby blues. "What a little creeper," Spencer teased.

"No, what a good friend," Toby said thoughtfully. "She played a big part in this master plan of mine. According to your parents, you're at her house right now," he explained.

Spencer just nodded, not wanting to know the details of how Aria had orchestrated that one on her own - usually when one of them lied about a sleepover, they at least had to plant the seed to their parents personally, to make it believable. Not that she really cared what her parents thought.

"Speaking of your parents," Toby said, interrupting Spencer's thoughts, "How are things with them?" he asked tentatively.

Spencer pursed her lips, understanding what he meant. "They haven't said a single word about Saturday," she admitted sadly. "But don't worry. They'll come around. I'll _make them _come around. They have absolutely no excuses, especially after I was right about Ian, and they were wrong," Spencer said, mentally kicking herself. Technically, she _hadn't _been right about Ian - A just happened to be an expert at making people look guilty. But of course, her parents didn't know that Ian possibly didn't kill Alison after all - which is why Spencer wouldn't hesitate to use that fact in her battle to force them to accept that her and Toby loved each other.

It was around 7:30 now, and the wind was picking up, the air having turned chilly. A cool breeze blew through the truck bed, and Toby felt Spencer shiver in his arms. "Let's go, Spence, grab your bag, sweetheart. The time for our Scrabble rematch has arrived," he said, kissing her shoulder before releasing his grip on her.

Spencer smiled, happiness radiating throughout her body. She leaned over and grabbed her duffel, and jumped out of the back of the truck, landing on the balls of her feet. She looked down at the town for a moment, marvelling at how picturesque it seemed from where she was standing. Shaking her head at the thought of Rosewood's innocence, she opened her door, climbing in beside Toby.

"By the way. I'll kick your ass this time," Spencer said humorously as Toby backed up, turning the truck around.

Toby chuckled, throwing his arm around Spencer's shoulders casually as he turned onto the highway. "Uh-huh. We shall see about that, Mrs. Goofball."

**TO BE CONTINUED : ) **


End file.
